A winter adventure at Bear Lake pays off with lunker lake trout for Idaho fishermen
As I stepped into the predawn air, Old Man Winter hit me with a right cross to the chin. A peek at the thermometer confirmed that at -13 degrees, this was the coldest moment of my ice fishing season.
Undaunted, my companions and I began the mile-long trek to our fishing grounds. Nothing could keep us from our Mackinaw trout hunt at Bear Lake, one of Idaho’s most unique and mysterious fisheries.
We hiked across the ice filled with anticipation. My buddy Dallas and I first explored Bear Lake last ice season, and we caught some nice Mackinaws with an assist from a friendly local who loaned us half a cisco. Bear Lake is home to a one-of-a-kind mix of fish species, and Bonneville cisco — small, sardine-like baitfish — serve as a primary food source for Mackinaw and Bonneville cutthroat.
Now that we knew the importance of cisco as bait, we managed to procure some in advance (social media can be the perfect tool for a determined, slightly OCD fisherman). Two groups beat us onto the lake in the dark, but we had ample real estate to choose from as we set up our three-man camp.
This ice fishing setup had some notable differences from a typical trip. Dallas, Skyler and I rigged up six rods (two apiece), which is one of Bear Lake’s special rules (most Idaho fisheries allow five ice rods per angler). We weren’t using standard gear, either. We came armed with heavy rods and high-capacity reels — necessary tools when targeting fish that can weigh 20-plus pounds. Because we accessed the lake on the Utah side, our holes could be up to 18 inches across (the max in Idaho is 10). Using my 8-inch Strikemaster, we punched double “snowman” holes we hoped would make landing a giant a little easier.
Now, if only we could get one to bite. Mackinaw fishing is exciting, but it’s often a low-volume trophy hunt. Bear Lake’s predators don’t skip many meals, either, so finding a hungry one can be a challenge.
We set to work with large tube jigs, each tipped with a piece of cisco. Our secondary dead sticks also had chunks of cut bait marinating.
As I jigged near the bottom, I saw a huge cloud of small fish appear on my flasher. Reaching into my knowledge tackle box, I hypothesized that if a big predator was watching that bait ball, it would be wise to put my jig in its crosshairs.
Quickly, I reeled up and started ripping my lure through the school. Within moments, I felt the unmistakable thump of a big fish pouncing on the lure.
“We’re on, boys!” I called, and Skyler and Dallas hurried over to watch the action unfold. About 30 seconds into the fight, the fish realized it was hooked and bent my stout Frostbite Deadbolt rod with violent force. My heart skipped a beat as my reel — frozen in the subzero conditions — didn’t give line. I knew my drag was set properly, but I loosened it anyway. Still, the fish thrashed without taking line. Finally, I pulled a couple armlengths off the reel by hand and, thankfully, line started peeling off.
“It’s Bear Lake Walt!” cried Skyler, removing his gloves and rolling up his sleeves. “Let’s go! Get him up here!”
Indeed, this fish felt just as big as “Walter,” the trophy Henrys Lake trout I caught in December. Maybe even bigger, given my heavier gear. After several minutes of nerve-wracking battle, the fish appeared, ghostlike and huge beneath 10 inches of crystal-clear ice.
Hoisting this girthy giant out of an 8-inch hole would have been an adventure, but with the doublewide hole, I was able to turn its head and guide it right to Skyler, who plunged his arm into the frigid water to complete the catch. And what a catch it was! This beautiful, silver-grey Mackinaw (lake trout have very pale coloration in Bear Lake) measured just shy of 30 inches and weighed a fat-and-happy 11 pounds.
After high-fives and photos, I helped the fish recover before watching it swim back to the depths. We enjoyed the rest of our chilly day on the ice and caught a few more lake trout in the 20-to-24-inch range. We even experienced an “ice quake,” when the entire sheet shifted like a surfboard under our feet! But I’ll never forget the thrilling beauty of that lunker laker. And I’m sure the pursuit of an even bigger one (there’s still plenty of cisco in the freezer) will bring us back to Bear Lake soon. Tight lines!
Jordan Rodriguez has been fishing Idaho waters since he was a teen. Share your fish stories, adventures and questions with him at tightlinesboise@gmail.com, or visit www.tightlines208.com for the latest local fishing reports and upcoming class offerings.
